F&I

WARRENVILLE, Ill. — F&I product provider American Guardian Warranty Services Inc. (AGWS) announced the promotion of several key executives, including the appointment of Jon A. Anderson as president and COO. The moves are part of the company’s 2018 plan to grow its marketer base, revenue, and service team. The company also revealed plans to significantly rebrand its Compass Auto VSC program.

Touting a 30% revenue increase in the last five years, the F&I product provider plans to expand its agency base by 25%, enhance and expand its service team at its corporate office as well as at its East Coast sales office. The company also plans to expand its field team. And as part of its rebranding of its Compass Auto VSC program, the company said it plans to improve the product’s eligibility, coverage, and value.

“Since our company was founded 20 years ago, American Guardian has been proud to offer a full suite of F&I products that provide excellent coverage and value, while allowing for higher profitability for dealerships,” said Anderson. “Extended service contracts, appearance protection, warranty protection, and tire-and-wheel coverage are just some of the products that American Guardian offers. We also provide reinsurance services, capital advance, and e-rating for products to help dealers become more profitable and productive.”

Anderson started as the company’s first salesperson in 1998. Since 2011, he has overseen the national sales and marketing teams as senior vice president of sales and marketing and is responsible for the company’s record growth, expansion of the sales team, and updated processes.

According to company officials, AGWS has grown its staff by 36% since 2016. Last year, it hired 32 new employees.

The company also announced the appointment of Ric Simmons as executive vice president and CFO. He joined AGWS in 2004 as CFO with an extensive background in public accounting. Simmons was promoted to senior vice president and CFO in 2011.

Also promoted was Dan Lievrouw. He was named executive vice president, CIO, and president of American Guardian Systems Inc. Lievrouw has overseen the IT operations since joining American Guardian in 2008. His role was expanded in 2011 with his promotion to vice president of IT and operations.

Lievrouw’s promotion will allow him to continue developing opportunities and technology tools that have been instrumental in American Guardian’s growth. Company officials noted that the ongoing evolution in dealership technology has increased opportunities for American Guardian’s continued expansion of services.

The company also announced that Matt Weil was promoted to senior vice president, general counsel, and corporate secretary. He has served as legal counsel for American Guardian Group of Companies since 2006. In 2011, his title was elevated to vice president and general counsel.

The F&I product provider also named John Wendt senior vice president of claims and underwriting. Wendt has overseen American Guardian’s call center since its inception in 1998. In 2011, Wendt’s role was expanded to include underwriting when he was promoted to vice president of claims and underwriting. Since then, his role has evolved as the company’s services and support teams have increased in size over the last couple of years.

With more 35 years in the industry, Wendt has continually provided expertise and steady guidance to the increasingly demanding call center, the company said. With his promotion, he will continue to oversee the busy claims area while assisting the company in other areas.

Lastly, the company noted that one of its new hires in 2017 was Jim Fisher, who serves as assistant vice president of dealer programs. He is responsible for finding, analyzing, and recommending programs that American Guardian’s agents can market to their dealership customers in the automotive, RV, powersports, marine, and commercial trucking industries.

Fisher was a nine-time winner of the Chrysler Award of Excellence and won Ford Motor Co.’s coveted President’s Award. He has trained more than 7,000 automotive salespeople over the course of his more than 40-year industry career.

“We offer great products and services at American Guardian,” Anderson said. “I believe that American Guardian will lead the industry by offering unparalleled service, focusing on continuous improvement, and not only meeting but exceeding the expectations of our partners and customers.”

Larry Dorfman will step aside as chief executive of APCO Holdings, the company he founded 35 years ago and grew to include the EasyCare, GWC Warranty, and Covideo brands, yielding the company’s chairman and CEO position to former J.D. Power head Finbarr O’Neill.

Two years ago, Chris Brown went looking for a way to facilitate sales, trade-ins, and financing for car buyers who prefer to shop online. Today, his Seattle-area Subaru dealership is doing just that, and he says the experience he and his team deliver is just as ‘stress-free’ as ever.

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